You and Your Only Child: The Joys, Myths, and Challenges of Raising an Only Child

This is the right book if you're looking to come to grips with having an only child, and feel like you "need" to bring another child into the world for the primary purpose of keeping your already existing one company. This book will talk you out of that with kindness and care, and let you know your only will be ok, indeed probably better off. It will also help you see to it as a parent that they will, and not fall into the traps that some parents of onelies fall into.

What is wonderful about this book is that it includes and speaks directly to parents who may not have originally intended for their child to be an "only". Parents who may have wanted a larger family, but cannot due to circumstance are dealing with their own feelings as well and this book does a great job of identifing and advising on this aspect. This book is well written, well organized and offers practical advice in an intelligent and reassuring way.

I believe this to be the best only child book written and a must read if you have an only, or are considering having a only child.

This book provided me with all the answers I needed for those who said "You can't have just one child," and "He needs a playmate." Ok, my, then I'll get him a dog, response is not in here.. But better ones, ones for yourselves, about all the real benefits of being an only child, from better cognitive skills to assurances that your child will be able to make friends and won't necessarily be spoiled unless you spoil him or her (and how to be sure you don't). Some of the "evidence" was not documented well enough for me (maybe parents with better cognitive skills tend to have only one child, later in life?) but all in all it has good advice, good information and helps you and your spouse feel good about the family you have chosen to make.